VZCZCXRO5976
RR RUEHPOD
DE RUEHTI #0326/01 1491346
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291346Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8151
INFO RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 4550
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0035
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 3296
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0101
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0754
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 3004
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RUWDQAC/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/USCBP WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TIRANA 000326 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JBALDWIN, LSPRINGER 
STATE FOR EUR/ACE 
USCBP INA FOR BPICKETT, MIRIZARRY 
SECDEF FOR DTRA CDRAKE 
USDOE FOR TMUSTIN, EMELAMED, KGARNER 
VIENNA PLEASE PASS TO ICE ATTACHE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL
SUBJECT:  EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR APRIL 
2009 
 
¶1. (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS 
 
-- Albania and Croatia became members of NATO on 4 April 2009. 
 
¶2. (U) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
See paragraphs 4 and 5 below discussing equipment and training. 
 
¶3. (SBU) MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD 
 
ALBANIA 
 
--April 8: Maritime Advisor met with the Chairman of the State 
Export Control Agency, Mr. Erald Dervishi, to discuss equipment 
requirements for installing Tracker and topics for the next Tracker 
planning session scheduled for April 25, 2009. An equipment list was 
agreed on and sent to ISN/ECC for procurement. Mr. Dervishi also 
requested assistance with holding an industry outreach seminar in 
mid-June or early July. The first industry outreach seminar is 
scheduled for May 8 with the assistance of the Federal Office of 
Economics and Export Control (BAFA). The State Export Control Agency 
anticipates issuing its first license on June 1, 2009. 
 
--April 16: Maritime Advisor met with the Police Assistance Mission 
of the European Community to Albania (PAMECA) Blue Border Advisor to 
discuss a potential best practices visit to the U.S. or an EU 
country on interagency maritime operations and the potential 
participants. During this meeting, MA learned that the Customs 
Director General, Perparim Dervishi, had been removed from his 
position on April 15. His replacement is Mr. Endri Pema. 
 
--April 20: Maritime Advisor met with representatives from 
Commonwealth Trading Partners in advance of the Export Regulatory 
Foundations Workshop to discuss status of the State Export Control 
Agency's export control work and preparations for the Tracker 
planning session on April 25. 
 
--April 22: Maritime Advisor participated in a visit of the Desk 
Officers from Command Naval Forces Europe and NATO Joint Forces 
Command. Meetings were held with the Ministry of Defense 
Modernization Staff Chief, Colonel Bala; CNO of the Navy, Captain 
Gerveni; Commander of the Naval Academy in Vlora; Commander 
Ferdinant Kreshpani and Commander of Southern Flotilla, Captain 
Megollari. The purpose of the visit was to discuss training and 
equipment needs and NATO's focus on U.S.-Albania bilateral 
relationships. The lack of nautical charts for the coast of Albania 
was raised and the Desk Officers recommended partnering with 
Montenegro as Montenegro has a hydrographic ship. Colonel Bala 
discussed GOA participation in NATO's Active Endeavor operation, the 
need for information on effective information sharing with 
neighboring countries, the need for disaster response capabilities, 
the need to modernize the Navy and their plan to have some 
fifty-five meter boats within 6-10 years time. Captain Gerveni 
discussed the possibility that the USCG may be donating two used 
island class patrol boats to the GOA, his interest in having 
Albanian officers serve on other countries' naval ships especially 
now that they are members of NATO, that they will be participating 
in a live exercise with neighboring countries and the need for a 
hydrographic survey to be done of the coast. 
 
--April 28: Maritime Advisor attended the Plenary Meeting of the 
International Consortium. The theme for the meeting was "Successful 
Law Enforcement through Cooperation".  The meeting was opened by the 
U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, the Ambassador to the European 
Commission, the OSCE Ambassador, Minister of Interior Bujar Nishani 
and Minister of Justice Enkelejd Alibeaj. Presentations were given 
by the Albanian State Police, the Department of Strategy and Donor 
Coordination, and the various International Consortium working 
groups. 
 
--April 29: Maritime Advisor met with Director of Border Police and 
 
TIRANA 00000326  002 OF 003 
 
 
Migration, Mr. Pellumb Nako, to discuss arrangements for a donation 
ceremony to be held at Albanian State Police Headquarters on May 5. 
Mr. Nako asked if EXBS could fund thermal imaging cameras for his 
officers and mentioned that they had recently had three narcotics 
seizures; two at sea and one on Lake Shkoder and these activities 
had taken place at night. Mr. Nako also asked if EXBS could fund air 
conditioning units for his officers at the various border crossing 
points. In a recent development, the MOD has agreed to allow Border 
Police access to the sea surveillance radar system. A feed will be 
run into Albanian State Police Headquarters, where the GOA is 
building a communications center to integrate radar information, 
maritime operations and information from the Total Information 
Management (TIMS) system. Border Police also recently completed the 
construction of two classrooms in the Port of Durres for training 
and has a 400,000 Euro GOA-funded project for building two 
classrooms in Vlora.  Maritime Advisor suggested that Border Police 
partner with the Naval Academy in this endeavor as it may prove more 
cost effective and improve coordinated training and operations. Mr. 
Nako requested training on targeting people for searches, navigation 
training and requested navigation equipment for Border Police boats 
as watch standers and boat handlers are having problems 
communicating coordinates properly. 
 
¶4. (U) TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
--April 21-24: Commonwealth Trading Partners provided an Export 
Control Regulations Foundation Workshop. The workshop introduced the 
key elements of an effective export control system, allowing 
participants to consider issues of local concern and build on 
Albania's recently enacted export control law. Twenty-two 
representatives from the Albanian State Export Control Agency, 
Ministry of Finance - Customs, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 
Union of Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Economy 
Trade and Energy attended the training. 
 
--April 25: A second Tracker planning session was conducted by a 
representative from Commonwealth Trading Partners and 
representatives from the State Export Control Agency. Topics 
discussed include limiting the number of authorized border points 
and issues related to Customs training, work flow, collection of 
output documents, identification of printing requirements, review of 
reporting requirements, collection of input documents, support for 
translation of the Tracker property files, importing electronic data 
into Tracker, storing classified materials, network security, and 
information exchange with neighboring countries and with EU 
partners. 
 
 
¶5. (U) EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
--April 16: Four 30" ring buoy and two 90' Ring Buoy Rope with Bags 
were delivered. The value of this equipment $1,188 and is part of 
LATA Task Order 112. 
 
¶6. (SBU) IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT: 
 
ALBANIA: 
 
--May 4-8: International Border Interdiction Training will be 
conducted at the southern land border crossing of Kakavija. The 
training will be provided by instructors from U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection. Customs and Border Police officers will 
participate in the training. 
 
--May 19-20: A third Tracker planning session will take place in 
Tirana with representatives from Commonwealth Trading Partners and 
the State Export Control Agency. 
 
--May 27-28: EXBS will fund the participation of a senior licensing 
officer and systems administrator from the State Export Control 
Agency to attend the Tracker Best Practice Conference in Warsaw, 
 
TIRANA 00000326  003 OF 003 
 
 
Poland. 
 
--June 25-27: EXBS will fund two representatives from the State 
Export Control Agency and one representative from Customs to attend 
the 10th International Export Control Conference in Istanbul, 
Turkey. 
 
-- As part of LATA Task Order 112, twelve Gator Hawk Body Armor 
Vests and twenty-eight handcuffs arrived in Albania on February 20, 
¶2009. The equipment is worth $15,087 and will be donated to Customs 
Border Police officials in May 2009. 
 
-- As part of LATA Task Order 113, ten Campbell Security Model 
CT-30-10-2.0 Contraband Kits and forty radiation detection pagers 
arrived in Tirana on February 27, 2009. This equipment will be 
donated to Customs and Border Police officials in May 2009. 
 
--One laptop and one projector will be donated to the Port Security 
Forces at the Port of Saranda in May 2009 for use in conducting 
their training program. 
 
--Maritime equipment from the U.S. Coast Guard will be arriving in 
Tirana during the month of June for donation to Coast Guard, Border 
Police Maritime Units and Customs Maritime Anti-Contraband Units. 
 
¶7. (SBU) SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, 
NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
-- None known. 
 
¶8. (U) PORTAL MONITOR ALERTS 
-- None. 
 
¶9. (U) RED FLAG ISSUES 
-- None. 
 
¶10.  (U) POC:  LT Cari Bower, email: bowerc@state.gov. 
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